News in Brief: Flying Lotus, Tobin Sprout, Deer Tick, Stag & Dagger

-- California fractured beat-freak Flying Lotus and British dubstep producer Joker have teamed up for a new split 12" single, out now on Tectonic. It's not a full-on collaboration like that Burial/Four Tet single; Flying Lotus' track is called "Glendale Galleria" and Joker's is untitled.

-- Former Guided by Voices member Tobin Sprout has pulled a Madonna and written and illustrated a children's book. Titled Elliott, it's out now on Mackinac Island Press, and it concerns the adventures of a magic rabbit who leaves his magician's hat. Aww! (via Largehearted Boy)

-- On June 23, Partisan will release Born on Flag Day, the latest LP from Brooklyn-via-Providence alt-folkers Deer Tick. Next month, they'll head out on tour opening for Jenny Lewis. Brian Williams is amped!

-- Later this month, the Stag & Dagger festival will go down on three different days in three different UK cities: May 21 in London, May 22 in Leeds, and May 23 in Glasgow. Cold War Kids, the Mae Shi, the Twilight Sad, Cursive, Evan Dando, Vivian Girls, Lovefoxxx from CSS, and a whole mess of other bands will play.